Travel Guide To Valletta

Where to eat in Valletta, Malta

GUZE 22 Old Bakery Street (00 356 2123 9686; www.guze.com.mt) The aroma of rabbit in wine and garlic wafts from the open kitchen at Guze, a new Mediterranean restaurant in a centuries-old building, once the residence of Francesco Buonamici, a 17th century architect whose work can still be seen in the town. LEGLIGIN 119 St Lucia Street (00 356 2122 169) Snack at Legligin, a rustic wine bar in an easy-to-miss cellar. It is a low-key, one-man operation. Owner Chris Bonnici pairs wines with the half-dozen locally sourced tapas (no menu) he's prepared for that evening. In the works: a tasting room for olive oils, honeys and cheeses. TRABUXU 1 Strait Street (00 356 2122 3036; www.trabuxu.com.mt) Visit Trabuxu for its 300-plus wines, welcoming atmosphere and cosmopolitan clientele. Across the road, the owner's new trattoria serves soups, stews and other hearty dishes.

Where to do in Valletta, Malta

KANTINA CAFE & WINE St John's Square (00 356 2723 0096) Sip iced coffee with Baileys and nibble on a pistachio cannoli at Kantina Café & Wine. The alfresco seating on St John's Square is perhaps Valletta's best people-watching spot. SHOP AT BLUSH & PANIC 46a Melita Street (00 356 2720 9889; www.panic-at-strait-street.tumblr.com) Samantha Gatt selects all the vintage clothes and accessories at Blush & Panic. One of her recent finds: a 1950s blush-and-black Chantilly-lace ball gown in mint condition. VISIT ST JAMES CAVALIER CENTRE FOR CREATIVITY Castille Place (00 356 2122 3200; www.sjcav.org) The 400-year-old fortress is now home to the St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity with its ever-changing cultural programme. In June and July expect jazz concerts, British comedy and an exhibit of brass cannon shells as contemporary art.